Redbud

Thursday morning the kids and I went to the independent bookstores in downtown Holland.  Yes, it's downtown even though it really does have an uppity feel to it.  Nice stores, upscale, and brick sidewalks. 

We visited Readers World, which had a fabulous selection of books by many authors I love, and also a good children's book section.  Then we visited Treehouse Books, which sadly is going out of business.  All books were 70% off and all the furnishings and display items were also on sale.  It was looking like the bottom of the barrel there but I did find one book I wanted (Paradise Park by Allegra Goodman, since we are reading another of her books for book group next month). 

Sierra set her sights on an old wooden sled with red metal runners.  Out of my price range even on sale, though.  I told her that Aunt Jill and I had a sled just like that when we were kids, and that once I caught my leg under one of the runners going down an icy and rocky hill at Ewing Park, where she and Jeremiah have been sledding. 

"Do you think Grandma still has that sled?"

"I don't know but I doubt it.  Do you want to call and ask her?"

"Yes."

ring...ring..."Grandma!  Do you still have Aunt Jill and mom's old sled?"  ... pause..."Oh.  Ok, here's mom."

I asked the proprieter of Treehouse Books if it was the big bookstores that had put her out of business.  She said that was one factor, but it was actually internet sales that seemed to have been the main competition. 

That left me feeling kind of sad.  I'd rather browse at a small independent bookstore (which we don't have back home except USED bookstores where I do browse and buy) but I do shop on the internet for books now.  It's significantly less costly, which is indeed important.

I don't think I'll ever go for the Kindle type of device, though. I like the feeling of the book in my hands, turning the pages.  And I'm a page-corner-turner-downer if it's my own book.  But never a library book, of course.

Well, if anyone has an old sled with red runners lying around and wants to unload it, I know an 8-year old who would be forever your buddy.